Ambulatory Office Assistant I - Ophthalmology Clinic

Bassett Healthcare Network•Village of Cooperstown, NY

About The Position

The Ambulatory Office Assistant I is the first point of contact for patients within the Bassett Healthcare Network and an important member of the patient-centered care team. The role supports ambulatory patient care teams through administrative and, as needed, clinical duties, with an emphasis on excellent customer service, accurate and timely communication, attention to detail, and a high-quality patient experience. Responsibilities may include patient scheduling and registration, gathering demographic and financial information, collecting payments, processing insurance information, and providing direct patient care. The position handles patient interactions in person and by phone; appointment scheduling and confirmation; registration and insurance data entry; referrals; electronic medical record messages; and coordination of information needed for appointments. Clinical duties may include preparing charts, rooming patients, collecting vital signs, performing point-of-care tests and EKGs, and maintaining exam rooms and supplies. The role also supports payment processing, correspondence, records handling, filing, and clinic opening or closing. The employee may cover other locations or departments with orientation and must maintain job-specific knowledge and competencies through training and education.

Requirements

Minimum one year of relevant work experience; an associate degree or higher may be substituted.
BLS certification within six months of the date of hire.
Computer skills.
Customer service skills.
Time management skills.
Ability to multitask.
Communication skills.
Ability to meet the stated physical demands, including exerting up to 50 pounds occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly.
Ability to perform the listed occasional physical activities and tolerate the listed workplace hazards and conditions.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or GED.
Customer service experience.
Medical Office Assistant or Medical Assistant certification.

Responsibilities

Greet patients courteously, provide a welcoming experience, and give new patients Welcome to Bassett Network information.
Answer calls using the department's required greeting, take complete and accurate messages, follow up on patient needs, and use the electronic medical record messaging system for messages and prescription requests.
Escalate emergent situations, patient problems, or needs that cannot be met to the Supervisor or Supervising Nurse.
Offer patients the opportunity to sign up for MyBassett, keep communication preferences up to date, and proactively inform patients about delays.
Complete outpatient registration by collecting, verifying, entering, and scanning demographic, insurance, financial, and regulatory information accurately.
Maintain proficiency in demographic and financial screening, insurance eligibility and verification, and regulatory and compliance processes.
Support collection and processing of Advanced Beneficiary Notice signatures and make required corrections in Bassett systems within 24 hours of system notifications.
Answer questions about the organization and its services and direct patients to appropriate clinical locations.
Schedule appointments according to patient needs and department guidelines, offer alternatives when appropriate, and follow procedures for appointment edits, confirmations, and rescheduling.
Remind patients that co-payments are expected at the time of the visit and use available scheduling tools to select appropriate appointments.
Process urgent referral requests the same day and routine referral requests within 24–72 hours; ensure referral information and prior authorizations are complete and appropriately documented.
Work incoming and outgoing referral queues and follow up with referred-to providers to confirm appointments and receipt of results.
Prepare for provider clinics by reviewing charts and making reasonable efforts to ensure relevant reports, laboratory work, and imaging are available; assess language barriers and arrange authorizations or equipment when needed.
Follow up on pertinent patient information not received by the clinic and prepare medication refill messages according to provider and departmental guidelines.
Distribute patient literature and perform point-of-care testing, run equipment controls, update log books, and perform EKGs according to departmental protocols and needs.
Greet and room patients promptly, escort them to exam rooms, verify identity using two identifiers, document work-up information accurately, and use the EMR for clinical documentation.
Communicate patient issues and concerns to providers; clean and stock exam rooms; check medications and supplies for expiration; and monitor inventory.
Enter charges for supplies and clinical testing and maintain required yearly competencies.
Explain payment due based on insurance information, receive and receipt payments according to policy, and balance the cash drawer daily.
Date-stamp and route incoming patient information, complete basic demographic information on forms, mail outgoing patient information, and route forms to appropriate departments.
Prepare correspondence and outside health information for scanning; perform or arrange indexing and scanning; and route medical-record release requests to the appropriate HIM location, processing same-day requests needed for continuity of care.
Maintain office supplies, forms, departmental records, and filing systems; classify, sort, distribute, and file documents.
Open or close the clinic according to divisional guidelines, make appropriate hand-offs in 24-hour departments, and follow procedures for accessing secure areas.
Cover other locations or departments with orientation as requested and adapt to workflows, processes, and policies across the network.
Attend required in-services and at least four educational opportunities per year, identify and attend needed computer training, and maintain knowledge of job duties, insurance policies, Bassett procedures, and regulatory requirements.
Perform similar or related duties as requested or directed.